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Rutaceae

The Rutaceae are herbs, shrubs, and trees with glandular punctate, commonly strongly smelling herbage comprising about 150 genera and 1,500 species that are further characterized by the common occurrence of spines and winged petioles. The leaves are alternate or opposite, simple or palmately or pinnately compound, or sometimes heathlike or reduced to spines; stipules are absent. The flowers are often sweet-scented, nearly always bisexual, and are actinomorphic or sometimes zygomorphic. The calyx consists of 3-5 distinct or basally connate sepals and the corolla consists of 3-5 distinct or sometimes connate petals or rarely the petals are lacking. The androecium consists of distinct or sometimes connate stamens that are commonly obdiplostemonous, that is in two whorls with the outer whorl opposite the petals. However, sometimes there may be (1)3-4 whorls or rarely up to 60 stamens. The gynoecium consists of a single compound pistil of commonly 2-5 or more, often incompletely connate carpels that may be united only basally or apically, either one or an equal number of styles, and a superior ovary with usually 2-5 or more locules, each bearing 1-several axile ovules. Generally, an intrastaminal nectary disk is situated between the stamens and the ovary. The fruit is variable.